The afternoon when the banquet began.
A lavish dinner banquet was spread out in the dining room of the Grand Duke’s mansion.
Flowers that were difficult to obtain in the north were placed here and there, and luxurious frills and curtains adorned the ceiling and window frames in layers.
Antique candlesticks and decorations were placed on the dining table adorned with fluttering silk and high-quality fabrics.
Unlike the chilly temperature outside, the elaborately decorated banquet hall was filled with warm heat.
An event where noble ladies of the north gather in one place for once.
Even before the main event began, many nobles filled the banquet hall.
Of course, amidst all this, the ladies showed off their splendor as if competing with each other.
Wearing dresses wrapped in intricate lace patterns with hats adorned with flowers and feathers, they flaunted their beauty with expensive accessories sparkling in various colors.
The noble young men also subtly displayed their wealth with tailored suits made of luxurious fabrics and belts or shoes made of sturdy and durable natural leather from wild animals.
The banquet hall could be described as a gathering of peacocks trying to court without exaggeration.
Among them, the one who stood out the most was Caroline, the Grand Duchess.
“Grand Duchess. You look so beautiful today.”
“You’re always so lovely. No one in the empire could match the beauty of the Duchess.”
“Oh my, Duchess. Aren’t those earrings you’re wearing now made of the finest rubies from Lepia Island?”
“My goodness. Such delicate craftsmanship and clear color. I think flashy jewels really suit the Grand Duchess.”
Caroline smiled leisurely at the praise and admiration of the ladies.
“They are nothing special, but I’m flattered by such praise.”
After the formal greetings were over, someone tactless blurted out a question.
“By the way, when will Her Highness the Grand Duke’s wife arrive?”
As the topic shifted to the Grand Duke’s wife, Caroline’s eyes turned cold for a moment.
Nevertheless, she didn’t lose her smile.
“Well? It seems the Grand Duke’s wife is putting effort into her appearance.”
“Oh my! I heard she missed the last tea party, surely she won’t do that again this time?”
“I’m really curious what kind of person she is, it’s not easy to see her.”
“What kind of person is the Grand Duke’s wife?”
Caroline was uncomfortable with the continued interest in the Grand Duke’s wife.
But she smiled skillfully and answered.
“Well. I don’t meet her that often either.”
“She must be having a hard time adapting to the northern lands since she lived in the capital?”
“The environment and people must be quite different from before, so it can’t be easy to adapt.”
“I see. Caroline, Grand Duchess, you should help her a lot.”
“What help could I be? At most, I just give a word or two of advice occasionally.”
The longer the conversation about the Grand Duke’s wife went on, the colder Caroline’s smile became.
Sharp people noticed her discomfort and slipped in to change the subject.
“To be late even on a day like this. It may be rude to say this, but Her Highness the Grand Duke’s wife really has no manners.”
“It’s all my fault. I should have taken care of her more attentively.”
Caroline said as if she had been waiting for this.
“How could the Grand Duchess be at fault?”
“That’s right. You must have been busy just preparing for the banquet. No matter how unfamiliar the place is, you can’t take care of everything on days like this.”
Caroline sighed with a troubled expression.
“Still, I’m worried about the Grand Duke’s wife. I’m concerned that she might be misunderstood as looking down on the northern nobles.”
As she feigned a concerned voice, those around her defended Caroline and praised her.
“Oh my. How can you be so kind-hearted?”
“Her Highness the Grand Duke’s wife should appreciate the Grand Duchess’s efforts.”
As the atmosphere naturally turned to criticizing Karina, Caroline relaxed.
“Efforts? It’s nothing.”
Caroline smiled inwardly.
‘You say if I have something to say, I should come find you directly? Well, let’s see you properly humiliated today.’
As she imagined the interesting situation that would occur shortly, it became even harder to hold back her smile.
At that moment, there was a commotion at the entrance of the banquet hall.
Jeremiah had arrived.
The noisy banquet hall suddenly fell silent at the appearance of the Grand Duke.
Although there was no boisterous announcement, everyone who saw him bowed politely, showing respect.
“How can he be so handsome?”
“My goodness. He’s become even more handsome than when we saw him at the last banquet!”
Excited voices of young ladies peeking at Jeremiah were heard from one side of the banquet hall.
It wasn’t just them.
Women’s gazes flew towards Jeremiah from all over.
Jeremiah was wearing an elegant, toned-down suit tailored to fit his body perfectly.
The clean-cut, not-too-flashy color scheme complemented his handsome features very well.
Even the small gesture of casually adjusting his cuffs with one hand looked elegant and charming.
After exchanging light bows with a few people, Jeremiah quickly scanned the surroundings and walked straight to Caroline.
“Sister.”
An attractive, soft baritone voice filled the space.
“Welcome, Your Highness the Grand Duke.”
As it was a formal occasion, Caroline addressed him formally.
As she subtly stood beside Jeremiah, she looked like a winner who had claimed the trophy of glory.
The surrounding ladies looked at Caroline with envious gazes.
It was an everyday occurrence for her. But today the situation was different.
“Where is the Grand Duke’s wife?”
“…”
Caroline slightly furrowed her brow at the sight of Jeremiah looking for Karina as soon as he entered the banquet hall.
But she quickly changed her expression and whispered quietly so only Jeremiah could hear.
“Karina hasn’t arrived yet.”
Jeremiah frowned at Caroline’s words.
“Ladies from the capital tend to be a bit slow. I’ll go fetch her, so don’t worry.”
“…”
To the unresponsive Jeremiah, Caroline asked what she had been curious about, also to change the subject.
“Come to think of it, I heard someone came from the Dax Count’s family recently? For the leather business. From what I heard, it seemed like quite a good business?”
“We decided to cancel that contract.”
Caroline’s face hardened at Jeremiah’s answer that they had decided to cancel the contract.
This was because the leather business of the Dax Count’s family was a contract she had been secretly pushing for.
“Cancel? Why?”
“When we investigated the company specified in the business contract, it turned out not to be a proper business. They had no performance records and their credit was a mess.”
Caroline forced a smile and said in a placating tone.
“A place like the Dax Count’s family, how could it be such a mess? It’s not just anywhere, they’re doing business with the Colsberg Grand Duke’s family. If they’re in their right mind, they would do it properly, right?”
“If it were a proper place, they wouldn’t mess up regardless of who they’re dealing with.”
“Still…”
“I don’t think we need to talk about the Dax Count’s family matter anymore.”
Caroline bit her lip at Jeremiah’s cold-hearted rejection.
To think he would refuse so ruthlessly while clearly knowing it was something she had pushed for.
But what hurt her pride even more was his attitude of constantly scanning the entrance while talking to her.
It felt like she was being ignored, and her mood turned sour.
“…She’s finally here.”
Along with a low voice, Jeremiah’s stern expression relaxed.
There was a murmur of noise from the entrance of the dining room, saying that the Grand Duke’s wife had arrived.
“My goodness, how much primping did she do to take this long?”
Caroline sneered while pretending not to know, regaining her lost smile.
Of course, Karina would have dressed up elaborately. That’s why she had even assigned someone to help her.
‘She must have worked hard to dress up, not knowing she might be embarrassed.’
Caroline was already in a good mood at the thought of Karina being humiliated.
Sure enough, a question flowed from Jeremiah’s lips as he saw Karina.
“Why is she dressed like that?”
“Why? Did she dress strangely?”
‘Of course she must have dressed strangely.’
All the clothes from the merchant she had assigned were overly flashy.
No matter which one she chose to wear, it would have been difficult to avoid criticism.
If she had also hung gaudy jewels all over herself, it would be quite a sight to see.
Thinking of Karina who would firmly believe such ridiculous dresses and excessive decorations were northern tradition, she couldn’t help but laugh.
However, her smile crumbled immediately at Jeremiah’s next words.
“Why is she dressed so plainly?”
“Plainly…?”
That can’t be.
Caroline frowned and focused on Karina who was emerging through the crowd.
“…!”
She couldn’t help but be shocked at Karina’s appearance.
She should have been wrapped in elaborate decorations from head to toe.
But Karina, who entered the banquet hall, was wearing a plain white dress with almost no decorations.
‘How did this happen?’
Caroline was greatly flustered by the situation that was completely different from what she had expected.
Meanwhile, Jeremiah walked over to Karina.
“…Why are you dressed like that?”
There was a faint trace of irritation in his voice.
This was a place where formality should be observed.
Moreover, wasn’t she the Grand Duke’s wife?
Yet Karina’s attire was not much different from everyday clothes.
“I dressed a bit plainly, didn’t I?”
Karina said with a bright smile.
“I have my reasons.”
“I’d like to hear what those reasons are.”
Jeremiah replied gruffly.
At that moment, Caroline intervened between the two.
“What could have happened? I even sent someone in advance in case something like this might happen…”
It was a remark meant to slowly scratch at one’s insides, but Karina just smiled innocently as if she didn’t know anything.
“Grand Duchess. Thank you for your consideration. To think you sent dresses and jewels thinking of me. I was very touched by your kindness.”
Caroline was slightly taken aback by Karina’s unexpected words.
She didn’t expect her to openly mention that she had prepared Karina’s dress like this.
But Caroline quickly gathered her thoughts and changed her expression, smiling faintly.
“…It’s nothing.”
Karina gave Caroline a meaningful look and turned to the nobles gathered in the banquet hall.
“You don’t know how kind the Grand Duchess is. She even specially sent a merchant for me, who is unfamiliar with northern culture.”
Her voice was not small, as it was intentionally meant for the nobles in the banquet hall to hear.
“I thought it would be nice to share this joyful feeling with all of you. So…”
Karina continued, looking at the servant standing by the dining room entrance.
“Bring them in.”
The servants brought in a line of mannequins dressed in dresses into the banquet hall.
And the merchant Abdul entered with the knights.
“…?”
Caroline realized something had gone wrong when she saw Abdul being dragged in as if under arrest.
‘What’s going on?’
According to plan, Karina should have appeared wearing one of those dresses.
Then she would have been properly humiliated in front of everyone.
But instead of Karina wearing them, the dresses that she should have been wearing were on the mannequins?
Karina’s voice continued.
“I want to gift these dresses to all of you. I hear the dress designs were specially devised to suit northern culture. Please feel free to choose according to your taste.”
“…!”
Caroline’s expression hardened.
In fact, from the moment the mannequins entered, the nobles in the banquet hall had been exchanging whispers with bewildered expressions.
This was because the clothes worn by the mannequins were all tacky and bizarre.
“To think they recommended such clothes to Her Highness the Grand Duke’s wife. What was that merchant thinking?”
“How is that northern culture in any way?”
“Look at that dress. It looks like a chameleon.”
“To wear such a bizarre dress. It’s horrifying just to imagine.”
“I wouldn’t wear it even if they paid me to.”
The murmuring of people gradually grew louder.
“…”
Jeremiah also glanced at the dresses. Even to him, a layman, they looked bizarre and strange.
But to him, the Grand Duke family’s reputation becoming a laughingstock seemed more serious than the bizarreness of the dresses.
Jeremiah looked at Karina and asked.
“What exactly are you doing?”
“What do you mean, what am I doing?”
Karina asked back in a calm voice.
“I’m simply trying to give gifts to the nobles attending the banquet as a token of my gratitude.”
“Don’t you think this behavior is ruining the Grand Duke family’s reputation?”
“Not at all. These dresses were prepared with care by the Grand Duchess for me.”
Karina retorted with a serious expression.
As the atmosphere turned ominous, the merchant Abdul broke out in a cold sweat.
Caroline’s expression as she looked at him was not good. He felt like something terrible would happen if he stayed like this.
She had said she wanted to see them properly in the light. Who would have thought she would openly display the dresses in front of the nobles like this?
A chill ran down his spine at the thought that he might end up taking all the blame if things went wrong.
Being a merchant who lived by his wits and glib tongue, Abdul quickly racked his brains to get out of the situation.
“Bi-bizarre? Hahaha. You may not know this, but these clothes are designs that are very popular in foreign countries, including the Kingdom of Sahal. They may seem unfamiliar now, but you’ll soon get used to them.”
Abdul laughed somewhat exaggeratedly and joked around.
“Did you hear that?”
Karina smiled with satisfaction and clapped her hands again, signaling the servant at the door.
“Bring in the rest.”
Soon, servants entered with their arms full of jewelry boxes.
The jewelry boxes were lined up on the dining table where food should have been placed.
Abdul just sweated profusely watching the situation.
The jewelry boxes contained all kinds of colorful gems and accessories – necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings, brooches, hair ornaments, and so on.
Karina held up a luminous jade necklace from among them.
“I originally knew that green olivine is soft and brittle, making it worthless as a gem, but…”
Karina looked at Abdul and slowly swung the necklace in front of her eyes so others could see it too.
“I hear it’s so popular in the north that it’s hard to get. That’s what you said, right? Abdul?”
“…!”
Abdul was startled and terrified by Karina’s actions.
“No, that’s…”
Abdul stammered, turning pale.
Ignoring Abdul, Karina calmly reached for the jewelry box next to him.
This time it was a hair ornament with blue gems.
“You said this brightly shining blue gem is called ‘Bluminous’? You told me it’s used as a blessing in the north.”
“Th-that’s…”
As Karina continued speaking, Abdul’s expression changed from pale to ashen.
“…Bluminous?”
Jeremiah, who had been watching Karina’s actions with his arms crossed, reacted to the word Bluminous.
“You don’t mean the magic stone from Ventroum Gorge, do you?”
Bluminous was a magic stone extracted from magical beasts living in Ventroum Gorge.
Originally, Bluminous was a magic stone with a vivid blue color.
It emitted light even in darkness, so long ago it was processed and circulated as a gemstone.
However, people who possessed Bluminous often suffered from madness or met unfortunate ends.
So it was nicknamed the ‘Curse of Blue Blood’.
People considered it ominous, saying that possessing this magic stone would bring misfortune.
The north, where magical beast attacks were frequent, was more sensitive to such stories than the capital.
Yet they say this cursed magic stone is used as a blessing in the north?
“Who spouted such nonsense?”
Jeremiah looked at the man called Abdul at the end of Karina’s gaze.
Telling such false information to the Grand Duke’s wife as if it were true was essentially the same as disrespecting the Grand Duke’s family.
“Gasp!”
Abdul trembled as he received Jeremiah’s chilling gaze.
“The north seems to have many differences from the capital. I learned a lot thanks to Abdul.”
Karina added one more comment with a childlike innocent expression.
A fact that couldn’t be known without good knowledge about magical beasts and gems.
So it was a scam that could only victimize those ignorant of the ways of the world in the past.
Because of this incident, she had been branded as a foolish person who spent a fortune buying worthless items that would be refused even if offered for free.
In social circles, she had to carry the label of ‘foolish Grand Duke’s wife’ for a long time.
Karina, who had such a humiliating experience, had returned from the past.
Now she was neither ignorant nor foolish as in the past.
The naive Grand Duke’s wife was not here. Only Karina, who would later be called a villainess, was present.
“Take him away.”
“W-wait, please listen to me!”
Abdul shouted excuses loudly, but was dragged away by the knights who received Jeremiah’s order.
Karina did not forget Caroline’s presence at this moment either.
“Oh my, why are they doing that? Abdul is the person the Grand Duchess sent for me.”
“…!”
At Karina’s words, the nobles’ gazes turned to Caroline.
Caroline, who had been watching silently, flinched as she felt the gazes converging on her.
Karina also looked at Caroline with an innocent smile.
Caroline felt an inexplicable chill from that smile.
When the male lead is punished by carrying the female lead’s child and having periods like a woman
“I’ve given birth to two children for you, yet you still think about him.
Was I nothing but his substitute to you from beginning to end?”
Synopsis:
Meng Huan, a scumbag who has dated countless girlfriends, transmigrates to a female-dominated country.
Day 1: Whether it’s female dominance or not doesn’t matter. The beauties here are passionate and amorous. Isn’t it easier to date them than in modern times?
Day 2: After a night, Meng Huan discovers the differences in the female-dominated world. Men here actually have chastity locks and menstrual cycles. This hinders his ability to perform, damn it!
Day 3: What’s wrong with sleeping around? I don’t want you to marry me. I’m meant to be a playboy. I don’t care about male virtues… What? You want to drown me in a pig cage? Marry, I’ll marry!
Day N: Meng Huan inexplicably vomits and receives the shocking news of his life… He’s pregnant.
_____
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